European Earwig (Forficula auricularia) lives in moist gardens across Europe, North America. It feeds on insects and plants.
Fascinating facts about the European Earwig
- At just 12-15 mm long, the European earwig fits on a fingertip yet carries a full set of wings, a shield-shaped pronotum, and forceps-like cerci. Its antennae boast 11-14 segments, and its chewing mouthparts let it slice plant matter and tiny insects alike. This compact toolkit lets the earwig thrive in tight, dark shelters while still being able to hunt and scavenge across diverse habitats.
- A mother earwig guards a clutch of about 50 eggs buried in an underground nest, staying in a dormant state through winter and continuously cleaning the eggs with her mouth and forceps to fend off fungi. Remarkably, she extends the same care to foreign eggs, grooming and defending them just as she would her own, showing an altruistic streak.
- During daylight, earwigs huddle in shelters at densities of 50 to 100 individuals per square metre, drawn together by an aggregation pheromone released from tibial glands, cuticular lipids, or feces. This chemical signal lets them locate safe, humid hideaways without needing direct contact.
- Originally native to Europe, western Asia and possibly North Africa, the earwig was unintentionally shipped to North America in the early twentieth century and has since colonised much of the continent. Human-mediated transport on lumber, ornamental plants and even newspaper bundles continues to expand its range, making it a truly cosmopolitan insect.
- European earwigs can produce one or two broods per year, with females laying 30 to 55 eggs, which hatch after about 70 days. They overwinter just 5 mm beneath the soil surface, emerging at night to forage while the mother continues to guard and feed the young until they mature in roughly a month.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEurope, North America
HabitatMoist gardens
DietInsects and plants
About the European Earwig
In the crepuscular hush, the European earwig stirs, its elongated body unfolding like a dark, armored arrow as it navigates the intricate topology of leaf litter and bark. With a purposeful gait, it moves through the shadows, its pincers at the ready, a formidable yet diminutive hunter in a realm of giant blades and whispered secrets. As it disappears into the undergrowth, the earwig leaves behind a trail of subtle, telltale signs, a testament to its unassuming yet remarkable presence in the hidden world of the forest floor.
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